A specialty retail greenhouse in Raleigh, N.C., Orchids by Millie, opened in the mid-1990s. It began to expand significantly when Barbara McGuire became founder Millie Lee's business partner in 2000. McGuire and Lee purchased Atlantic Avenue Lawn & Garden Center in November 2002 - renaming it to Atlantic Avenue Orchid and Garden Center. A staff of nine orchid arrangers grew to the current group of 45 employees at two locations that serve landscapers, real estate developers, and homeowners. Lawn and garden supplies sold along side the orchids, tropical plants, and unusual flower arrangements, making the retailer a full-service outdoor center.

A year after McGuire and Lee paired up, traditional cash registers at the four garden center checkouts and single gift shop counter could no longer manage sales efficiently. "Cash registers don't tell you anything but what you sold today," says Randy Reynolds, sales system programmer for the retailer. They needed a package that would give them better reporting, the ability to have their entire inventory in one place, and the ability to have pricing automatically updated in the system.